Consequential
by Mind of the Childishly Naive
Summary: In which everyone wants to sleep with Huey. / Huey Jazmine 10, Riley 8


-x-

Consequential

-x-

"Why the hell did we watch that movie?" Huey questioned with a frown across the room at Riley.

As soon as the credits started their rolling ascent towards the top of the screen, he turned the television off with a flick of his free hand. The living room darkened, pitch black in the late hour and the rain pelting the large-paneled windows - and Jazmine screamed. She squeezed his arm even tighter (Huey was positive he felt the blood-flow stop and cringed, his ears still ringing), burying her face against his shoulder.

"Turn a light on! Turn a light on!" she squealed, her eyes undoubtedly closed.

Leaning over the arm of the love-seat, Riley flicked the lamp on. Relief visibly washed over Jazmine, her panic disappearing with a deep sigh as she tentatively raised her head. Riley rested his chin in his palm and, ignoring Jazmine's outburst, answered Huey's inquiry,

"Nigga, nobody made you sit through th' whole movie, you coulda got up an' left at _any_ time."

"I beg to differ," he muttered, flexing his fingers and frowning at the other ten-year-old still plied to his side, "Jazmine, get off me."

"I can't," she breathed, every muscle in her small frame still clenched in fright.

"This is exactly why I asked you to sit on the _other side_ of the couch when we first put the movie in," Huey reminded her, mahogany eyes half-lidded in irritation.

Jazmine had originally obliged his request for personal space; and forsaken it ten minutes into the film. It hadn't been a subtle migration from her designated end of the couch, either. It was an embarrassing, crying lunge of terror that had upset not only Huey, but the entire couch, the end-table it was pressed against, and the lamp and glass of orange juice that were on it.

An empty coaster had slid off and clattered to the floor as Jazmine settled anew, her knees tucked against his hip, both arms wrapped tightly around one of his.

Now, he didn't bother trying to pull it free. The effort would have been in vain, anyway, and would have only exhausted him more than simply waiting on her to let go on her own. Jazmine was also far less likely to spend the rest of the night trembling and twitching at the shadows if she let go in her own time, and he wasn't exactly eager to hear her whine.

Riley thought it was hilarious.

"You knew we were puttin' in a scary movie," he said placatingly, grinning.

"Not a _scary_ scary movie!" Jazmine said, turning wide, green accusing eyes toward him.

"There ain't no other kind a _scary movie!_ They called 'at for a reason, it's _s'pposed_ ta scare you."

"_You _don't look scared!"

"Well, _I _ain't five."

He laughed when he said it, and Jazmine's bottom lip trembled, the corners of her mouth pulled down into an uncharacteristic frown. Huey released a tired sigh, hoping she held in whatever feelings were hurt by Riley's jovial take on her fear and didn't cry on his shoulder. She did better than he gave her credit for.

She looked away and ignored the stab.

"I don't think I was supposed to watch that movie," she said, meaning it was probably on Tom's list of movies she should never _ever _watch, even when she was older. Her voice pitched lower, into an almost-whine. "I'm probably gonna have _nightmares."_

"You're not sleeping with me," Huey clarified immediately, using his foot to slide his book off the coffee table in front of them and realizing he could have simply waited until after his casual comment hit home.

Jazmine let go of his arm, her fists clamped in her lap and her cheeks slightly pink. She pointedly moved down a cushion, embarrassed not by the thought of sharing a bed with Huey, but that he assumed she was too frightened to sleep on her own.

"I _can _sleep by myself!"

"Good," Huey said, unabashed, flipping open his book and flexing his newly-freed hand to rid himself of the numbness in his fingers. He glanced across at Riley, who was snickering, and raised an eyebrow, adding, "I don't know why you're laughing, that goes for you, too."

All good humor vanished from the younger Freeman's face.

"Nigga, what th' hell makes you think I'm gonna wanna sleep in 'a bed wi' you?"

"You slept in my bed for a week after we watched _The Grudge_," Huey said, remembering that week vividly, because Riley was not someone you wanted to share a bed with.

He really didn't share _anything_ well, but blanket, pillow, and _space_ were at the top of the list. You either woke up on the outside of the covers with no pillow and Riley plastered to your side, or you woke up in the floor. More often than not the latter was the case, but Huey preferred neither. And he likewise didn't preferred the occasional changing of the sheets and pajamas in the middle of the night.

Riley opened his mouth to fiercely deny the slander against his dignity, but Jazmine changed the subject out of simple curiosity.

"When d'you guys think your Grandad will be home?" she asked, looking at Huey.

Huey shrugged, noncommittal and uninterested.

Ever since the episode with Luna, Grandad had started taking his internet dates out instead of "letting those crazy women know where his house was". If he wasn't home by now, there was really no gauging how the date had gone.

"Cain't've gone 'at bad, he didn' come runnin' home," Riley said, getting up to take the DVD out.

Huey grimaced, but Riley didn't really process the depth of his words until he'd crossed to the entertainment center. He shuddered, snapping the DVD back into it's case.

Jazmine obliviously suggested they watch a "happy movie", but the brothers ignored her request.

-x-

They went to bed late - after Grandad had come home and gone to bed himself, but before the storm began its distant grumblings. Huey had been in bed ten minutes when the first real crack of lightening and it's accompanying, house-shaking peal of thunder sent Jazmine bolting into his and Riley's room, her pillow in her arms.

"Huey," she whispered fearfully, fretting at his bedside, "I can't sleep in there by myself!"

The young revolutionary didn't even open an eye at her.

"No," he said.

"But I -"

"No."

"But -"

"_No, _Jazmine, go back to the guest room and sleep."

"I _can't_," she pleaded, gasping at the flash of lightening that illuminated the room.

The thunder came next, and Jazmine, terrified, threw herself across Huey's back. Huey reacted out of instinct, albeit with great restraint, as well. He twisted over, his foot against Jazmine's stomach, and sat up, shoving her backwards off of him and over the side of the bed. She landed heavily, but was more startled than hurt by the fall. Huey scowled at her.

"I said _no_, Jazmine!"

"_Please_, Huey, I'm scared!" Jazmine cried, sitting up, "I can't sleep in that big, dark room all by myself! The closet door is open, and I keep _hearing_ stuff, and it's storming now, and I _can't_ sleep - not by myself, I've _tried!_ Please, _please_, you won't even know I'm here!"

"How can I not know you're here, you'll take up half the bed!"

"Nigga, would you jus' let 'er sleep ina damn bed a'ready?" Riley snapped, sitting up, as well, and glaring at them, "One of us is tryin' ta get some sleep!"

"You'll want over here, next," Huey accused, mahogany eyes narrowing.

"You ain't no fuckin' mind reader!" Riley said angrily, laying back down and yanking the cover over his head.

Jazmine shifted in the floor, drawing Huey's attention to her again. She hugged her pillow tightly, biting her lip, and didn't have to try very hard to look as scared and pitiful as she felt. Another roar of thunder helped tremendously; Jazmine twitched and buried her face in her pillow with a small whimper, shaking.

Huey sighed, averting his gaze.

"Fine," he said, untangling the blanket and moving over to make room as Jazmine sprang into the bed.

"_Thank_ you, Huey!" she said, pressed between his shoulder blades.

Huey reached back and pushed her away from him, his face an indiscernible dark red.

"That side of the bed."

-x-

When Riley woke up some time later, sweating from the bad dream and angry because of it, listening to the humdrum of rain, he found he was alone. Huey's bed was empty, save the sheets and pillow, and Riley sat up on his knees, a slight of panic he would never admit to tightening his chest as he frowned around the dark room.

He quickly struggled free of his own sheets and went out into the hall.

"Huey," he said harshly, his voice low.

The bathroom light was on behind the cracked door, and it was the only thing that kept Riley from entirely running to the guest room. He was glad he checked there first, because the steadily breathing pile under the thick comforter couldn't have been anyone other than his brother and Jazmine.

"What th' hell're yall in _'ere_ for?" he muttered, jerking the comforter back and climbing up next to Huey, who didn't appear to have woken up at the intrusion.

He let Riley get settled against his free shoulder before he cracked open an eye.

"My bed isn't big enough for everyone to sleep in."

"Shut up, Nigga, nobody asked you," Riley snapped at him, glaring over his shoulder.

Huey shrugged, yielding, and closed his eyes again. He made a mental note as he drifted back to sleep, his want for space giving out in lieu of being sandwiched between two of the worst cuddlers ever.

Next time they were watching a decent movie.

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(A/n) Nothing like some fun, random conversation (most of which I actually omitted because it was, indeed, random) to spark that writing bug into action. Plus, y'know. Huey/Jazzy ness. =3= And I'm SUCH a sucker for the cute Riley. Please review! (they're much appreciated)

-Motcn


End file.
